Quote:
Originally Posted by ard
You are confused. BMW and ZF recommend one fluid. This fluid happens to also meet M-1375.4
This does not mean all fluids that meet that spec are 'recommended'.
It is pretty simple logic. (Venn diagram stuff...)
Now, if you want to go outside of the recommended fluids, that is fine- and I might even say it is likely to be technically sound- but you ARE outside of the recommendations.
I totally agree that there is likely nothing magical about BMW recommendations- but given that both BMW and ZF have not published a complete spec other than ZF6, it is a disservice to try and say 'all you need is shell M175.4 to meet all the BMW (or ZF) requirements'
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BMW published data that their E70 transmissions (ZF happens to build them) use ATF with Shell M1375.4 specifications. Shell was the original manufacturer (and they for a time made that exact fluid, but sometime around 2011, they stopped making it and it became quite scarce to find (was $7/quart when I had my E53), and apparantly in the past couple years a few other manufacturers picked up where the niche was since for a time only ZF and BMW were the only 2 options and doing some relative price gouging.
Definitely agree that fluid "approval" does not necessarily equal "recommendation." There's more to it.
As you can see in the previous documents provided, BMW E70 transmissions call for Shell M-1375.4 ATF. Whatever those exact technical specifications be, any fluid to be approved for a particular specification would need to meet what was outlined by the manufacturer. So approved fluids for M-1375.4 specifications needed to meet those specs. Febi 34608 and Pentosin ATF1 happen to meet M-1375.4, with Pentosin ATF1 even went ahead and got further testing to also being approved for ZF's own TE-ML11B specification for 6 speed transmissions.
How does one get "approval" for a specification? You would need to submit your fluid and tested to the specs from the original specifications. You don't put an approval stamp on your fluid without risk of litigation for false advertisement for poor performance and/or damage. RMEuropean, Pelican, FCPEuro, and AutohausAZ, among other retailers stock, list and sell this Febi/Bilstein fluid (along with ZF LG6, genuine BMW, and Pentosin ATF1) for my 2011 35d. Heck, FCPEuro even lists genuine BMW M1375.4 ATF for sale for my car:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...er-83222220445
Now how does one get a "recommendation"? Of course BMW would "recommend" their own fluid, and of course, ZF would "recommend" their own LifeGuard 6 fluid. Why would they want to "recommend" Febi/Bilstein 34608 or Pentosin ATF1, when they have their own interests in play? There would be licensing fees charged to Febi/Bilstein or Pentosin to get that and the cost savings would not be so apparant.
Likewise as "Price" mentioned, why does BMW all of sudden recommend Shell recently, when in the past (probably past few decades) it was all Castrol fluids? Heck my Mercedes "recommends" Mobil1, but that's not the only oil I use in there--I use oil that meets objective specifications my car calls for. Think marketing and licensing fees involved and maybe some other financial incentives for the recent BMW "recommendation" to Shell?